Spellbound & Hellhounds, page 8
part #1 of Coven Chronicles Series
Vanessa pulled out her wand, the only weapon she had now that her spell belt was off, and her staff was put away, just as Bobo jumped over the back of the couch and hooked Vanessa around the waist to drive her toward the floor just in case the intruder had a spell ready to toss out at the witch. The heavy thud of them hitting the floor resonated through every object in her home that had jolted about from the ogre’s weight slamming with Vanessa in his grasp to the floor.
Instead of slinging spells and harmful magic being flung through the room as expected, there was a sultry voice that rolled through the apartment. “Honey, I’m home!” It sounded sexy and upbeat, not menacing and deadly.
Bobo’s head shot up from the floor and he gave wild, fearful eyes to Vanessa, who felt squashed under the beast. “No,” he whispered.
Vanessa whispered, “Force push,” with her palm directed at the demon’s shoulder and the ogre was hit with a small spell that caused him to roll off the witch. Crouching behind the furniture, she fussed with straightening her hair and clothes. Slowly, she peeked over the couch to see a succubus kicking the door shut behind her with her cloven hoof.
She had long, brilliant raven locks that fell in waves around her shoulders and flowed down the female’s back in soft, tame half curls. Her near perfect skin was pale and held a lavender hue to it and was covered (hardly) up in a short leather mini skirt and a gold and black leather corset, lavished with a line of gold buckles from navel to the swell of her ample mounds. Boots that mirrored the style of the corset rose up to the creature’s slender legs but left open at the bottom for her cloven hooves to remain free. She had two black, long sleeved gloves that seemed like a second skin they were so smooth and flawless as they ran up each of the demonesses arms. Two long, blade-like ears pointed out on the sides of her sharp angular featured face. Atop her head were two vibrant purple and black horns. On her back was a set of folded, red-violet wings, and dancing behind her, flicking from side to side in a seductive wave, was a tail with a spiked (and very venomous) tip. The succubus’s brilliantly amber jeweled eyes seemed to burn with an otherworldly glow as she smiled to Vanessa when she saw the girl poke up from behind the couch.
“Lyx?” Vanessa questioned.
“Darling! Why are you behind the couch? Come, give me a hug.” The succubus outstretched her arms and waited for the girl to come to her because there was absolutely no denying the demoness.
Reluctantly, Vanessa started for the succubus when she felt a sudden weight upon the fabric of her skirt. She looked down to see Bobo on all fours, or three’s rather, because one hand was clutching onto Vanessa’s skirt like it would somehow save him. She awkwardly turned and gave a single finger, signaling for the succubus to wait a moment and quickly ducked back behind the couch.
“What?” she hissed.
“What is that … that … woman doing here?”
A wickedly sinister smile came over the witch’s lips. “Oh? Aren’t you happy that Leon’s living with us?” She jabbed. He was so tickled earlier that she had to suffer through this arranged living situation with them that he had forgotten about Leon’s pet.
Served him right…
As Vanessa stood, she patted the despairing ogre’s head with one hand and snatched her skirt from his death grip with the other and then turned and skipped over to Lyx and flung her arms around the demoness’s neck as she flew into the creatures embrace. “How’ve you been?”
“Oh, darling, I’ve been fabulous as ever. Leon is such a kind sir—“
“Stop calling me that.”
She giggled and then pouted, all for show, “Why must you be so mean to me in front of company, Master?”
“Your charms don’t work on me. Try to behave, I know it’s a stretch for you,” Leon huffed.
Lyx waved at Leon like he was a fly buzzing in her face. “What about you? Are you a Spellweaver yet?”
“Ha!”
Both Lyx and Vanessa shot Leon a look, and he sunk into the couch and covered the side of his face with a throw pillow as if it would act like a shield him from the eye daggers that were being shot at him. Melting back into their happy state once more, the girls continued with their conversation.
“No, not yet,” Vanessa replied.
“It’ll happen soon enough, darling. Don’t beat yourself up.” After saying that, the succubus started to stand on the tips of her cloven hooves to look around the apartment. Orangey gold orbs scanning the space that was visible for something. She stopped suddenly when her gaze locked onto Bobo’s head that was peering sneakily (not really) from behind the couch.
Lyx practically tossed Vanessa out of the way before cupping the sides of her face with a wild smile and bent her knees dramatically as she spoke in a high-pitched voice, “BooBoo!”
“No,” he gasped as he shot up to his full height suddenly and froze in place.
The succubus unfurled her wings and flapped them once to give her jump a bit more juice before instantly refolding them on her back as she landed a few feet away and started to run, almost skipping, toward Bobo.
“Stop.”
“BooBoo!” she screamed excitedly again.
She outstretched her arms and went to hug him, but his mammoth sized hand palmed the succubus’s face, and he looked over the couch to Leon. “You!” he pointed a single digit at the man, and Leon dropped the pillow.
“What did I do now?”
“You are bunking in my room.”
Leon grinned as he flung the pillow to the other side of the couch and crossed his arms over his chest. “Why the sudden change in heart, my good man?”
Bobo shook his index finger maliciously at the Spellweaver. “Don’t test me. Besides, you’re the only thing that can control this pet of yours.”
Lyx reached up and jerked Bobo’s hand off her face with a heated glare. “Why do you deny my love for you?”
“I…” Bobo seemed at a loss for words.
“Didn’t you miss me, my love?” she pouted.
He then pointed the finger from Leon to Lyx. “Don’t do that. We aren’t together.”
“You’re fighting fate, my love. Isn’t it better if you just,” her voice dropped back down to its normal sultry tone, and she crashed into his side with a surprise half-hug and let a finger circle over the ogre’s tattered button up, “…let go and let me have you?” Her hair turned into a bright magenta as she nuzzled into the demon’s side.
Two hands clamped down on the succubus’s shoulders and ripped her from his side as he glared down at her. “Harlot! I told you. I do not wish to have relations with you or court you.”
Lyx shivered and moaned. “I do love it when you manhandle me,” she cooed.
Instantly, like she had burned him, Bobo released the woman and cleared his throat while tugging on the bottom of his dirty jacket. “I shall retire for the evening. I’m in need of a shower and a good night’s rest.”
“What about dinner, won’t you join us?” Vanessa questioned, but when the ogre turned his gaze to the girl he took note of the smile plastered to her face and narrowed his eyes at her.
“I’ll have Lyx behave,” Leon assured, understanding of Bobo’s plight.
“Oh, imp poo,” Lyx whispered under her breath.
With a sniff and a moment’s thought, the creature nodded and said, “Very well. I shall return for dinner before I turn in for the night.”
Leon clapped his hands together. “It’s been forever since I’ve had a home cooked meal. What are we having?” he asked eagerly.
Vanessa and Bobo cut him a look like he had lost his mind. “I’m not cooking tonight,” Bobo said.
“I thought…”
“That I was cooking?” Vanessa asked.
Leon nodded and both she and Bobo burst into laughter that was so crippling that they held onto one another and hysterically hooted until they sounded like they were hyperventilating.
“I mean… If you want…. The house to…burn down…she could…” Bobo wheezed.
Vanessa could hardly catch her breath and tears were rolling down her cheeks that were split with her crazed smile. “He—he—he thought I could cook!” Vanessa cackled.
Leon looked at his pet. “I’m not cooking, I just had my nails done,” she informed.
Bobo slowly regained his composure and patted his person for his handkerchief. Wiping his face and giving his nose a quick blow, he returned the cloth to his pocket and straightened himself up. “Oh. My good man. I so did need a good laugh.” He cleared his throat again and fought the threatening wave of laughter before resuming with his idea. “I say we order out. We are all too exhausted from our days to try to cook. Let us eat and then retire.”
“Do you have work tomorrow?” Leon asked.
Vanessa shook her head no. “Tomorrow is my day off.”
“Plans?”
“To sit at home and read, if you are asking me,” Bobo admitted.
Leon turned his attention back to Vanessa who was already trying to distract herself with anything but answering his question. “Oh, my goddess, Lyx. Your hair smells fantastic!”
The succubus perked up instantly. “I know, right? They washed it with this jasmine and white tea shampoo, and I was in heaven the whole time. The smell is to die for!”
“Vanessa,” her name came across like Leon was an upset parent. The tone alone insinuated that a scolding was in order, but the child may not be so sure as to why.
“Hmm?” she hummed.
“What were you thinking of doing tomorrow?”
“Nothing.”
He narrowed his eyes at her. “I don’t believe you.”
“I’m sorry that you don’t.”
“Tell me.”
“Tell you what?”
“What are you planning in that harebrained mind of yours.”
“I don’t know what you are talking about, Leon. Clearly you are tired from your day and need rest.”
“Vanessa, by the goddess I swear I’ll bind you for a day!”
She growled. “I was going to go to the academy and see if I could find any traces of where those hellhounds had scampered off to.”
“Vanessa!” Bobo and Leon yelled in unison, and she cringed like they had both slapped her.
“What?”
“Whoa. Whoa. Hold the crystal ball for a moment,” Lyx said turned toward Leon. “What in the name of magic is she talking about, Leo?”
He looked guilty for a moment. “You didn’t tell her?” It was Vanessa and Bobo’s turn to speak in unison to Leon.
“I’ve been a little busy,” he shot back.
Lyx put two hands up at her sides, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. But as she did, her hair turned flaming red before dimming down until it was the usual glossy ebony shade. “Leo, darling. I need you to tell me what, in the name of magic, is going on.”
Leon rubbed the back of his neck and groaned as he massaged some of the tension that was growing there out. “We are in a bit of a… pickle… Lyx.”
“I’d say! Hellhounds? Do you have any idea how long it’s been since one was last sighted?”
“I’m aware.”
“Do you have any idea of how difficult those atrocious beasts are?” Lyx asked.
“I am now.”
She blinked with her mouth open. Whatever she was going to say was stolen by the fact that Leon had admitted that he had encountered one personally. “You saw one?” she screeched.
“Well, it was more than one…”
For a moment she stared at Leon like he had turned into a unicorn, and then gasped and turned around to face Vanessa and Bobo. Instantly, she started to let her hands race all over Bobo, even forcefully turning the massive creature around as she inspected him for more than the soot and scraps that covered him. “That’s what happened to you?”
“Of course, woman. What did you think had happened to me?”
“I… well…” she blushed and looked to Vanessa, “Sorry, darling. But I thought you might have messed up another spell.”
Leon started to chuckle, and Vanessa raised the wand and pointed it at him. He raised one leg off the ground and put out both hands in front of him to ward off a possible oncoming spell. “Don’t point that at me,” he ordered.
The succubus forced Vanessa’s wand hand down and whispered to her, “At least not in the house. You’d never be able to get the stains out of the carpet.” Vanessa sighed and dropped her hand completely to her side.
“I think we need to order food and talk about what’s happened today,” Bobo advised.
Chapter 12:
The four of them fought over what to order and settled on Merlin’s restaurant. It was a bit pricier than the usual takeout, but well worth the extra coin. Besides, they were all splitting the tab evenly.
They sat around the living room explaining the events that lead to Leon having to live with Vanessa for the next two weeks and peddled back to what they had seen down in the boiler room of the academy, right down to the tunnels. Lyx listened, hardly saying a word the whole time. She just looked like she was trying to evaluate a long math problem with no pen or paper.
When the group fell silent, all eyes were on Lyx as she stared down at her lap. Glowing amber eyes rose to meet with those that were spread out around her. “You realize that this is bad.”
“I do,” Bobo replied.
“Really bad,” she said while looking between the Spellweaver and Hunter.
“I know that it’s bad. It’s for that reason that I’m so upset with the Council giving up on the search like that,” Vanessa started.
“They are going to be sending Summoners out. People far better suited for the job than inexperienced Hunters and newly made Spellweavers. It’s a death sentence.”
“He’s right. You need to keep your mitts out of this case, Vanessa. It’s too much for you to handle alone, much less at all,” Bobo said softly.
“Your pet is trying to keep you safe. Heed his warning, please. I don’t want you to get into a predicament that even I can’t save you from,” Leon spoke in a half-hushed voice.
The comment caught Vanessa a bit off guard, but before she could question anything any further, there was a knock at the door. This time, everyone wasn’t tripping over themselves expecting an attack, they expected food.
Vanessa opened the door to find an oversized floating white bag filled with takeout boxes. The aroma of the contents caused Vanessa’s mouth to water with anticipation of devouring the food. Grilled meats, roasted red potatoes, steamed veggies, soft and fluffy freshly baked breads topped with salt and butter. It was enough to drive her starving belly into a grumbling beast. Her stomach wasted no time in letting a growl breakthrough the silence.
“Whoa, don’t eat the messenger,” a small voice teased. That was when Vanessa heard the soft flapping of tiny, leathery wings. She peered out into the hall and around the bag that appeared to be floating. On the other side was a bat, and she could see the mist magic that he was using to keep the bag afloat. “One hundred and eleven Poppy Lane, apartment three?”
She nodded. “That’s me.”
“That’ll be fifty-seven gold and three silver,” the bat said as a puff of smoke seemed to burst out of the bat and shadows enveloped the misty clouds until it formed a tall, lanky male vampire.
“Just a second,” she said, fishing through her pocket for the funds that she had gathered from the group earlier. “There ya go. Keep the extra coin.”
The vampire quickly counted the gold and nodded with a smile to Vanessa and handed her the bag. “Enjoy your meal!” With that, he poofed back into a bat and squeaked before furiously flapping his wings and bolted out of sight.
“Thanks!” she called to him before closing the door and heading to the living room with the food.
Each of them got their meals as Bobo handed out the silverware from the kitchen. “Those plastic forks never hold enough,” he said.
“That’s because you are enormous and have a mouth to match it,” Leon said with a short laugh.
“They always break too,” Vanessa added in the ogre’s defense.
“That’s because you are careless,” Leon stated after quickly letting his laughter end to make the joke at her expense.
Vanessa squeezed her metal fork and imagined it was Leon’s neck as she glowered at the man. Regardless of how cute or smart or funny the guy may or may not be … he was a jerk. One day, she’d be a Spellweaver too, and he could just stuff all his snarky comments into a complaint box at work!
The meal was enjoyed in silence after that. Bobo retired to bathe as he had promised to do before they had ordered food, and Leon used Vanessa’s private bathroom, even though she didn’t want him anywhere near it. But, the sooner he bathed, the sooner he’d go to bed, and the sooner he’d be out of her hair. Sacrifices for the greater good must be made.
While the men showered, Lyx and Vanessa cleaned up the living room and put the dishes away. It dawned upon Vanessa in that mundane moment that she had never really spoke to Lyx alone with no one else around. She did a few double-takes before she quitted her voice and spoke to the succubus like she was asking for a taboo secret potion.
“Hey, Lyx?”
“What is it, darling?”
“Can I ask you something?”
“Well, you are now, I thought that it would be obvious, but sure. Fire away.”
“Why are you so infatuated with Bobo?”
The succubus stopped in her slow exit of the kitchen and turned to face the young Hunter. She tilted her head to the side and watched as the young witch poured two glasses of lemonade. Vanessa looked up and smiled nervously before she shut the icebox and turned around to face the succubus head on. Lyx searched around the corner to make sure the coast was clear and gave Vanessa a come-hither finger as she walked into the living room to gain both distance from possible eavesdroppers and give them some privacy if one of the men entered the room unexpectedly.
Not that the succubus was shy by any means, but she could tell that the girl wished for less to hear the conversation that was sure to ensue thereafter. Lyx situated herself on the couch and fussed with her mini skirt and fluffed her curls with her fingers as those amber eyes fixed on the witch that chose to sit next to the her. Vanessa handed her the lemonade and sipped from her own glass.
